Campus tradition honors Dr. King
Members of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity light candles before a wreath
at the Martin Luther King tree in the War Memorial Student Union
park during a ceremony celebrating the legacy of the late Civil
Rights leader on Wednesday, Jan. 17.
The candlelight processional and commemorative
program is an annual event, sponsored Alpha Phi Alpha's Kappa Nu
Chapter. Participants walked to the union, where Alpha Phi Alpha
placed a wreath at the tree. A special program followed in the Student
Union Theatre.Table
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Students, parents invited to Senior Day Jan.
27High school seniors and their parents are invited to Senior Day
at Southeastern on Saturday, Jan. 27.
Hosted from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. by the Office
of Admissions, Senior Day will include tours of the university campus,
informational sessions on admissions, financial aid and scholarships,
free food, give-aways and door prizes.
Students and parents can also visit
with Southeastern faculty and staff, learn about the university's
new housing facilities, and browse displays featuring academic programs.
Check in is scheduled for 9:30 a.m.
at the War Memorial Student Union mall.
Students can sign up by visiting the
"Senior Day" button on the university's home page, www.selu.edu.
They can also contact Southeastern Admissions at 985-549-5637. Table
of content

Florida Parishes Economic Development
group restructures with focus on I-12 corridorThe Florida Parishes Economic Development Association (FPEDA)
announced today that it is restructuring its board and adopting
an aggressive new mission and role designed to focus its efforts
more intensely on the parishes that make up the I-12 corridor.
"This region - especially the
parishes of St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Livingston, St. Helena and
Washington - is a hotbed of economic activity right now," said
William Joubert, president of the organization and director of the
Southeast Louisiana Business Center in Hammond, an economic development
arm of Southeastern Louisiana University. "In our post-Katrina
economy, everyone recognizes that the I-12 corridor will be a major
factor in the state's economy. We need to be prepared to capitalize
on that reality."
The FPEDA board is being restructured
to include, among others, representatives of Southeastern Louisiana
University and area economic development organizations. The intent,
Joubert said, is to have a streamlined board that can act more aggressively
and quickly in pursuing economic development and job creation opportunities.
"The I-12 corridor is ideally
situated for economic development, and it's time we initiate a major
marketing campaign to make business and industry aware of our strong
investment potential," said Brenda Reine, executive director
of the St. Tammany Economic Development Foundation and a key mover
in the FPEDA makeover. "The corridor has the land, workforce,
and infrastructure to accommodate strong and rapid business development."
The St. Tammany organization was recently
awarded a $100,000 grant from Louisiana Economic Development to
assess the strengths of the region and develop an aggressive marketing
plan. The funds will be matched by cash and in-kind services from
area organizations and businesses.
Joubert said the association FPEDA
plans to seek other grants to properly plan for and implement infrastructure
improvements in the region. The organization is also applying to
Louisiana Economic Development for a second round of grant funding
designed to take the marketing effort to an even higher level.
Joubert said the board wants to establish
a brand identity for the region, something along the lines of how
Silcon Valley is perceived as the hub for computer technology jobs.
"With a specific brand, we will
market the region to the world to help drive high wage, environmentally-friendly
jobs to the region," Joubert said. "Our focus on high
wage industries is intended to elevate the quality of life and the
tax base of the region."
Southeastern President Randy Moffett
said that the university has pledged strong support of the association's
efforts.
"As the primary higher education
institution on the north shore, Southeastern's administration has
offered its Southeast Louisiana Business Center, research capabilities,
faculty and staff expertise, as well as other resources to help
facilitate the economic development of the region," he said.
Joubert emphasized that, "It's
important to note that regional economic development is not necessarily
about which parish gets a project located in their community; it
is about the region getting the project. A regional vision is what
is most essential here."
FPEDA operates in partnership with
Southeastern and is housed in the Southeast Louisiana Business Center
located near the campus at 1514 Martens Drive.Table
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Le Souvenir again receives
first-place awardFor the fifth consecutive year, Le Souvenir, Southeastern's
yearbook, has been recognized with a first-place award from the
American Scholastic Press Association in New York.
The 2005 yearbook earned 880 total
points out of a possible 1,000, earning an overall general excellence
rating and receiving a perfect score in the category of creativity.
The 2005 Le Souvenir was edited
by Morgan Belak of Lutcher, a 2005 Southeastern graduate. Brett
Guidry of Mandeville, also a 2005 graduate, was photo editor and
senior photographer.
The American Scholastic Press Association
competition judges approximately 2,000 yearbooks annually from institutions
such as Clemson University, Temple University, Arkansas State, Michigan
State and Lehigh University, said Matthew Tarver, director of Student
Publications.
"For the 2005 Le Souvenir,
the staff decided to build the theme around the concept of renewal,"
said Tarver. "This idea connected directly to many aspects
of campus life as each school year, and each semester for that matter,
brings a return of campus events and traditions."
"The reason we selected this
theme is because there is always a sense in one's life of renewal,"
said Belak. "There are passages in life such as college that
bring a person to a new place in life, that renew you. You come
to college with the hope of becoming a wiser person, and you leave
a renewed individual.
"I could not have asked to work
with a better staff," said Belak. "Not often do you find
witty, intelligent people who you can work with and have fun with."
"Over the past few years, the
yearbook staffs have worked many long hours, even on weekends and
during holidays, to create an annual record of Southeastern that
students, faculty and staff can be proud of," said Tarver.
The 2004 Le Souvenir also
received a first-place award from the American Scholastic Press
Association and earned a total of 880 points while garnering perfect
scores in general page design and creativity. The 2004 edition also
received a first-place "Award of Excellence" in the "Yearbook
Yearbook" national competition and a fourth-place award for
cover design in the Best of Collegiate Design national competition.
The Le Souvenir staff has won
11 local, regional and national awards in the past six years, including
being named the Best Modern Look College Yearbook in 2002.Table
of content

PPR training for supervisorsA training program for supervisors who are required to conduct
Performance Planning and Reviews (PPRs) on classified employees
has been scheduled Jan. 25. Two sessions, offered by the Training
Section of the Human Resources Office, will be offered from 9:30-11
a.m. and from 2- 3:30 p.m. in the Human Resources Office Conference
room. To register, please contact Jan Ortego at Jan.Ortego@selu.edu,
or extension 5771. Pre-registration and supervisory approval is
necessary.Table
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New faculty workshop Jan. 25A workshop designed to introduce new faculty to Southeastern's
Office of Sponsored Research and Programs is scheduled Thursday,
Jan. 25, 2 p.m., in Tinsley Hall, room 103. The program will explain
polices and procedures for submitting grants and demonstrated how
to search for grant opportunities. Registration is suggested, but
not required.
For more information, contact the
Office of Sponsored Research and Programs at
ext. 5312 or madelmann@selu.edu.Table
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Office of Sponsored Research and Programs
spring 2007 sessionsThe Office of Sponsored Research and Programs sponsors a series
of free informational sessions this spring. All sessions are scheduled
for 2 p.m. in Tinsley Hall, room 103. Registration is suggested,
but not required.Starting
Point: Locating Funding Sources -- Thursday, Feb. 1. If you
don't know where to start, this session is for you. The hands-on
session provides an opportunity to locate funding sources on the
Internet including major federal agency offerings, Louisiana Board
of Regents programs, SPIN/SMARTS (a database that identifies federal
& foundation grant programs), & GRC (Grants Resource Center).Writing
Successful and Persuasive Grant Proposals -- Thursday, Feb.
8. Discussion will include proven key elements of successful grant
proposals, along with helpful hints for developing an outstanding
proposal and creative and persuasive writing techniques.Preparing
the Proposal Budget -- Thursday, Feb. 15. Session provides guidance
in constructing a realistic budget, including personnel, fringe,
travel, supplies, operating costs, acquisitions, and indirect costs.
Cost sharing/matching fund examples will be provided.Submitting
the Proposal -- Thursday, March 1. Session details requirements
for electronic submission of proposals, an increasingly frequent
requirement of granting agencies.Meeting
IRB/Safety Requirements -- Thursday, March 8. If your proposal
requires IRB or Safety/ Hazardous Materials Management approval,
this session will familiarize you with guidelines and processes
for approval.Administering
Grant Award -- Thursday, March 15. Now that you have an award,
what's next? Knowing how to coordinate with Southeastern's Grants
Accounting, Human Resources, and Purchasing will make the administration
of a grant easier. Representatives of these offices will be on hand
to provide information on procedures and to answer questions.Understanding
Compliance -- Thursday, March 22. The session will explore federal,
state, and university requirements for proper procurement, reporting,
etc.Writing
Sub Contracts and More -- Thursday, March 29. Need to sub contract
grant activities? Learn how to navigate Southeastern's Purchasing
web site for contract and cooperative agreement examples and requirements.
For more information, please contact
the Office of Sponsored Research and Programs at 985-549-5312 or
e-mail madelmann@selu.edu.Table
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Bill
Evans, Guitar Festivals highlight Encore! 2007
Festivals celebrating the late, great jazz pianist and Southeastern
alumnus Bill Evans and the art of the guitar highlight the 2007 edition
of Encore!, Southeastern's spring performing arts series.
Sponsored by the Department of Music
and Dramatic Arts, Encore! 2007 also features dozens of concerts,
recitals, operas, plays and dance programs from February through May.
Scheduled Feb. 26-28, the Bill Evans
Jazz Festival honors the seven-time Grammy Award winner who was the
most influential jazz pianist of his generation. Throughout his life,
Evans, a 1950 Southeastern graduate, fondly remembered his college
years, calling his time at Southeastern the happiest period of his
life. He returned to campus for a concert 30 years after his graduation,
shortly before his death in 1980.
The sixth annual festival will feature
renowned pianist, composer, and arranger Bill Dobbins of the Eastman
School of Music on Feb. 28.
As a pianist, Dobbins has performed
and recorded with jazz artists such as Clark Terry, Al Cohn, Red Mitchell,
Phil Woods, Bill Goodwin, Dave Liebman, Kevin Mahogany, Paquito D'Rivera,
Peter Erskine, and John Goldsby. A prizewinner in the 1972 International
Gaudeamus Competition for interpreters of contemporary music, he has
received several jazz composition grants from the Ohio Arts Council
and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Other events in the festival include
Southeastern Alumni Jazz Ensemble on Feb. 26 and Southeastern's Jazz
Combos on Feb. 27.
The 2007 Southeastern Guitar Festival
will feature five eclectic events during April. The festival will
open with a concert by the Southeastern Guitar Quartet that will include
music by Southeastern composer-in-residence Stephen Suber. The "All
Styles Guitar Night on the Circle," an evening of jazz, folk,
light pop, and classical guitar under the stars at the Pottle Performance
Circle, will be back by popular demand. The festival also will include
a concert by the Southeastern Guitar Ensemble and a solo recital by
award winning recording artist Martha Masters, who will present a
masterclass for Southeastern students.
Most Encore! events are free. For an
"Encore!" brochure or additional information, contact the
Department of Music and Dramatic Arts at (985) 549-2184. For the complete
2007 Encore! schedule, click
here. Table
of contentCast announced for comic opera Too Many SopranosThe Opera/Music Theatre Workshop has announced the cast for its
March production of Too Many Sopranos, a hysterically funny
opera about four dead divas facing the ultimate audition from hell.
The comic two-act opera, scheduled March
21-24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Ralph R. Pottle Music Building Auditorium,
will be guest-directed by Brand Blocker, a successful music director,
stage director, actor, singer and producer from New Orleans.
Composed in 2000 by Edwin Penhorwood,
a member of the opera faculty of the Indiana University at Bloomington's
Jacobs School of Music, Too Many Sopranos is about four sopranos
who go to heaven - and get some really bad news from St. Peter.
Because so many tenors and basses have
been condemned to hell, there is room for only soprano in the heavenly
choir. So, the divas must audition for St. Peter to determine who
will make it through the Pearly Gates and who has to go to hell.
"Massive diva fits ensue,"
said Opera/Music Theater Workshop Director Charles Effler. "None
of them ever had to demean themselves by something so common and low
as an audition during their earthly careers -- or so they claim."
Eventually the singers submit to the
indignity of auditioning, but then St. Peter can't decide which diva
should get the heavenly nod. The Angel Gabriel steps in, reminding
St. Peter of the "redemption clause." If the divas go to
hell for 24 hours and perform a selfless act, they can bring back
as many tenors and basses as needed to balance adding all four of
them to the celestial chorus.
But, if they fail, they will have to
spend the rest of eternity in the netherworld.
The divas take the chance and make the
descent to hell where they meet a womanizing tenor and bass and a
librettist and director, both roasting for the unpardonable sin of
making opera boring.
"In the end, all is well, and as
the entire company prepares to return to heaven, they join in the
finale, 'We'll Never Sing Opera Again.'" Effler said.
Starring as the divas are Southeastern
voice students Christina Babin of Prairieville and Sarah Kennemer
of Mandeville as "Madame Pompous," Jessica Davis Bryan of
Ponchatoula as "Miss Titmouse," and Cassie Arnold of Ponchatoula
and Emily Stokes of Covington as "Just Jeanette." Southeastern
voice faculty member Kay Schepker of Hammond rounds out the temperamental
quartet as "Dame Doleful."
Scott McDonough of Slidell and Brian
Martinez Jr. of Montz will sing the roles of St. Peter and Gabriel,
respectively. Colby McCurdy of Slidell is cast as the sinfully boring
opera director "Orson," while Brandon Wear of Slidell is
the equally mind-numbing librettist "Nelson Deadly." Chris
Griffin of Baton Rouge is the unnamed bass in hell for womanizing,
and Blair Abene of Hammond has the role of "Sandman."
General admission tickets, available
at the door, are $14, adults; and $10, senior citizens, Southeastern
faculty, staff, and alumni, and non-Southeastern students. Southeastern
students are admitted free with their university I.D.
For more information contact Effler
at ceffler@selu.edu or (985) 549-2249. Table
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The Pick invites submissionsAll departments are invited to submit works for The Pick,
a journal of outstanding student works from across the Southeastern
curriculum, published by the English Department and the Southeastern
Writing Center staff.
Both graduate and undergraduate students
may submit works, but each work must have been created for a course
at Southeastern. Written submissions may include, but are not limited
to, essays, short stories, poetry, plays, and musical compositions.
Artistic, theatrical, photographic, and musical submissions are
strongly encouraged to diversify The Pick.
Deadline for spring submissions is
Friday, March 17.
Faculty members may submit student
works that they feel are exceptional, or students may submit works
themselves with a faculty member's approval. Copies of The Pick,
submission forms and guidelines are available in the Writing Center.
"We encourage faculty to submit
work on behalf of their students and to urge students to submit
their own pieces," said graduate assistant Carrie Casto, editor
of The Pick. "Please contact The Pick at thepick@selu.edu
or via phone at (985) 549-2076 with any questions. We look forward
to your submissions!"Table
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SBDC hosts business startup seminars throughout
north shoreThe Small Business Development Center and area sponsors will
offer "Starting a Business" seminars in six locations
on the north shore during February.
The free seminars will prepare potential
business owners for the intensive business planning process, identify
major steps crucial to starting a business, discuss common pitfalls,
and address key issues affecting business success.
All classes will be held from 9 a.m.
to noon. The startup seminar schedule is: Feb.
6, Slidell Chamber of Commerce, 118 West Hall Ave., Slidell;Feb.
8, Southeast Louisiana Business Center, 1514 Martens Drive, Hammond;Feb.
13, Louisiana Technical College Sullivan Campus, 1710 Sullivan Drive,
Bogalusa;Feb.
15, Southeastern St. Tammany Center, 21454 Koop Dr., Mandeville;Feb.
22, Louisiana Technical College Florida Parishes Campus, 137 College
Street, Greensburg;Feb.
27, Livingston Literacy and Technology Center, 9261 Florida Boulevard,
Walker.
Registration is preferred. For reservations and additional information
contact the Small Business Development Center at (985) 549-3831
or sbdc@selu.edu.Table
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Southeastern aids in efforts to recruit
foster familiesFoster parents in the region have organized a recruitment team
to get more critically needed families involved in the foster care
process.
The "Foster Parent Recruitment
Team" was formed in response "to the very serious need
for homes for children in the custody of the state of Louisiana,"
said Jane Moncrief, a licensed clinical social worker and training
consultant for Southeastern's social work program in the Department
of Counseling and Human Development.
The team meets at Southeastern where
members work with training materials developed by the university's
social work program faculty in conjunction with the Office of Community
Services.
"The goal," said Moncrief,
"is not only to recruit new foster homes but also to bring
the message to the community of the importance of the role of foster
parents in the successful growth and development of children in
foster care."
Moncrief said as of June 2006, 912
children - 714 in foster care and 88 in adoptive homes - were in
the custody of the state in the Office of Community Services' Covington
Region, which includes the parishes of Tangipahoa, Livingston, St.
Helena, St. Tammany and Washington. The total is up more than 100
children since June 2005, when 802 were in state custody.
"The number of children in foster
care in the Covington Region has been in a steady growth pattern
for several years," Moncrief said. She said currently there
are 405 certified foster homes in the region. "About 25 families
had to drop out of the program because of problems after Hurricane
Katrina," she added.
"Statistics show that it takes
25 foster homes to meet the special needs of one foster child,"
Moncrief said. "You need a large pool and we just don't have
it."
To address the need for more foster
families, Southeastern last year launched "Project Foster Homes."
The grant-funded program helps OCS recruit and train foster parents
by developing recruitment models and promoting "greater community
support for the complex and important job done for the community
by foster parents," Moncrief said.
Activities include working with OCS
to strengthen the region's Foster Parent Associations, devising
training methods to promote a positive and productive working relationship
between foster parents and state appointed foster care workers,
and public outreach efforts such as designing posters and commissioning
Southeastern mass communication students to create a recruitment
video.
As a next step in their role in developing
training and recruiting materials, Moncrief said Southeastern faculty
hope to create a training package that addresses foster families'
biological children, whose needs and concerns are sometimes overlooked
or which could deter families from become part of the foster parent
system.
Moncrief said a large class of future
foster parents has been participating in training sessions headquartered
at Southeastern's Family Enrichment Facility on North Oak Street.
Members of the Foster Parent Recruitment
Team are available to speak to any appropriate community group.
To make an appointment, contact Moncrief at (985) 549-2063 or Debra
Carter at (985) 878-6427.Table
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This week in athleticsThe Southeastern men's and women's basketball teams will look
to continue to build momentum in Southland Conference play during
this week in Southeastern Athletics.
The Lions (11-7, 3-2 SLC) head into
the week on a three-game SLC winning streak after Saturday's hard-fought
75-69 win over Nicholls State. On Thursday, Southeastern will face
new league member Central Arkansas (6-13, 1-5 SLC) at 7 p.m. in
Conway, Ark. Southeastern, currently second in the SLC East Division,
will then head to Natchitoches for a 2 p.m. showdown with division
leader and defending conference champion Northwestern State (9-9,
4-2 SLC) on Saturday.
The Lady Lions (11-7, 3-2 SLC) moved
into a tie atop the SLC East Division with an 82-71 win at Nicholls
State on Saturday. Southeastern will play six of its next seven
games at home, starting with a pair of league games this week. On
Thursday, UCA (8-10, 2-4 SLC) comes to Hammond for a 7 p.m. contest.
Northwestern State will visit the University Center on Saturday
with tip-off scheduled for 3 p.m.
The Campus Activities Board will sponsor
Luau in the Jungle on Thursday. The first 100 students will receive
leis and hula skirts. Saturday will be Father/Daughter Night in
the University Center. Daughters who attend the game with their
father will receive free admission to the game and have the opportunity
to take a free picture with Roomie. Bogalusa/Franklinton Community
Night is also scheduled for Saturday. Bogalusa and Franklinton High
School students will be admitted for $1 with school ID.
Both of the men's basketball games
will be broadcast live in the Hammond area on KSLU 90.9 FM and on
the Internet at www.LionSports.net. The women's game broadcasts
will be available at www.LionSports.net
only. The use of a high-speed connection is highly recommended for
fans accessing the Web casts.
The Southeastern indoor track and
field teams will be in Baton Rouge to compete in a pair of meets
this week. The Lions and Lady Lions will participate in the LSU
Multi Event Invitational on Thursday and Friday. Select members
of the Southeastern teams will also be involved in the Bayou Bengal
Invitational on Friday.Thursday,
January 25
Women's Basketball, vs. Central Arkansas,
University Center, 7 p.m.
Men's Basketball, at Central Arkansas,
Conway, Ark., 7 p.m. (KSLU 90.9 FM)
Track and Field, at LSU Multi Event
Invitational, Baton Rouge, All DayFriday,
January 26
Track and Field, at LSU Multi Event
Invitational, Baton Rouge, All Day
Track and Field, at Bayou Bengal Invitational,
Baton Rouge, All DaySaturday,
January 27
Women's Basketball, vs. Northwestern
State, University Center, 3 p.m.
Men's Basketball, at Northwestern
State, Natchitoches, 2 p.m. (KSLU 90.9 FM).Table
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Professional Activities
Dr. Jeffrey Temple (Chemistry and Physics) recently published
a paper entitled "Cloning, expression, and assay development
for West Nile virus RNA dependent RNA polymerase (NS5)." The
paper was co-authored by Dr. Michael Doughty (Chemistry and
Physics) as well as four undergraduates. The West Nile Virus project
is currently funded by the Louisiana Board of Regents.Dr. Rebecca Kruse (Chemistry
and Physics) was selected as one of three United States college
faculty to develop an inquiry-based chemistry curriculum for elementary
education students with the American Chemical Society's Office of
K-8 Science. Partners include Dr. Sonya Martin of CUNY Queens, Dr.
Stacey Lowery-Bretz of the Miami of Ohio and Jim Kessler, Patricia
Galvan, and Dr. Jerry Bell, all of the American Chemical Society.
Work on the project began Jan 13-15 at American Chemical Society's
Headquarters in Washington, D.C.Dr. Lin Knutson (English) presented
a paper, "Latino/a Performance: The 1943 Zoot-Suit Riots,"
at the Modern Language Association (MLA) conference in December
2006.Dr. Louise Plaisance (Nursing)
was invited to conduct a workshop at the University of Arkansas
for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock. The Jan. 11 workshop
was entitled "Test Construction Techniques." It was designed
to assist new faculty become more proficient in writing test items
that are similar to the ones used on the national licensure exam
(NCLEX-RN) for new graduate nurses. Dr. Plaisance also conducted
a workshop entitled "Writing for Publication" at Woman's
Hospital in Baton Rouge on Jan. 16. Participants completed several
exercises designed to help them develop a title, query letter, outline
and a timeline for a proposed manuscript. In December, Dr. Plaisance,
along with Dr. Cynthia Logan (Nursing) published a study
in Pain Management Nursing entitled "Nursing Students' Knowledge
and Attitudes Regarding Pain Management." Results of their
study had previously been presented at the Sigma Theta Tau International,
Indianapolis, Ind., in November 2006.Rich Schwartz (Music and Dramatic
Arts) along with seven Southeastern students performed in the Defense
Information Systems Agency of Slidell closing ceremony Jan. 19.Table
of content

ByLion is published
weekly online (bi-weekly during the summer session) for the faculty and
staff of Southeastern Louisiana University. Send submissions to publicinfo@selu.edu,
SLU 10880, fax 985-549-2061, or bring to Public Information Office in East
Stadium. Submission deadline is noon on Friday. Contact: Christina Chapple,
chapple@selu.edu,
985-549-2341/2421.